Bar rail mat

ABSTRACT

An elongated bar rail mat having a plurality of spaced-apart, elongated, resilient members that cooperate with each other to form fluid damping chambers therebetween while supporting a wet glass thereon with the spaced-apart, elongated, resilient members cooperating with each other to provide a longitudinal stability to the bar rail mat to enable one to empty the contents of the bar rail mat without the bar rail mat collapsing and accidentally spilling the contents.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates generally to bar equipment and more specifically, to improvements in bar rail mats.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The concept of bar rail mats for holding a wet glass is known in the art. Typically, the bar rail mat includes a compartment with pegs therein to support a wet glass thereon so that moisture on the glass or spillage can be captured for later emptying. One of the difficulties with bar rail mats is that it is difficult to empty the bar rail mats without spilling as the bar rail mat tends to buckle allowing fluids to spill out. Another difficulty with bar rail mats is that accidentally bumping of the bar rail is likely to spill the fluids out of the bar rail mat. The present invention provides an improvement to the bar rail mats that allows for easy emptying of the bar rail mat as well as better retention of fluids in the bar rail mat.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Briefly, the invention comprises an elongated bar rail mat having a plurality of spaced-apart, elongated, resilient members that cooperate with each other to form a continuous shelf for supporting a wet glass thereon with the spaced-apart, elongated, resilient members cooperating with each other to damp the fluids therein and to provide a longitudinal stability to the bar rail mat to enable one to easily empty the contents of the bar rail mat without collapsing of the bar rail mat.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004]FIG. 1 shows a top view of a bar rail mat;

[0005]FIG. 2 shows a partial sectional elevational view of the bar rail mat of FIG. 1;

[0006]FIG. 3 shows an enlarged top view of a portion of one end of the bar rail mat of FIG. 1;

[0007]FIG. 3A shows an enlarged top view of a portion of the opposite end of the bar rail mat of FIG. 1;

[0008]FIG. 4 shows a partial elevational front view of one end of bar rail mat of FIG. 1 with an elongated resilient member in the bar rail mat;

[0009]FIG. 5 shows a partial elevational front view of the opposite end of in the bar rail mat of FIG. 1;

[0010]FIG. 6 shows a section view taken along lines 6-6 of FIG. 1;

[0011]FIG. 6a shows the sectional view of FIG. 6 with a wet glass supported on the top of the elongated resilient members; and

[0012]FIG. 7 shows how the bar rail mat can be tipped to allow one to empty the contents of the bar rail mat.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0013]FIG. 1 shows a top view of a bar rail mat 10 for holding a wet glass thereon and FIG. 2 shows a partial sectional elevational view of the bar rail mat 10 of FIG. 1. Bar rail mat 10 includes an elongated trough 11 that has a fluid retention compartment 11 f of length L₁ with trough 11 having a first end 11 a and a second end 11 b. A bottom 11 c cooperates with a side wall 11 d of a first height that extends around the bottom 11 c to form a fluid retention compartment 11. A second fluid retention compartment 12 of length L₂ is located adjacent the second end 11 b and is separated from fluid retention compartment 11 f by a shared end wall 11 b. Typically, compartment 12 can be used for holding a single glass in isolation from other glasses located in fluid retention compartment 11; however, compartment 12 is optional.

[0014]FIG. 3 shows an enlarged top view of a portion on one end of the bar rail mat 10 showing fluid retention compartment 11 f includes fifteen spaced-apart, elongated, resilient members 14 with the elongated members located in a parallel spaced condition with an elongated chamber 15 located between each of plurality of spaced apart elongated members 14. Each of the elongated chambers are parallel to each other. Also, each of the spaced-apart, elongated, resilient members 14 extend upward from the bottom 11 c and are integral to the bar mat 10 to form a one-piece bar rail mat 10. Spaced-apart, elongated, resilient members 14 are shown as being continuous each which a top surface 14 a that cooperates with a top surface 14 a on adjacent resilient members to form a support for a glass or the like thereon. In addition to supporting a glass thereon, the members 14 provide a fluid damping effect by providing elongated chambers that confine the fluid to narrow chambers 15. Consequently, accidentally bumping the bar rail mat 10 of the present invention is less likely to cause spillage then if a single large chamber extended across the entire bar rail mat.

[0015]FIG. 3A shows a partial top view the optional second compartment 12 that includes a plurality of ridges 18 located within side walls 11 b, 12 c 12 b, and 12 a which are connected together by a bottom member 17 to form the fluid retention compartment 12. The top surface 18 a of ridges 18 coact to form a larger surface to support a glass or the like thereon in an upright and stable condition. Ridges 18 are similarly to elongated members 14 in that they are spaced apart to allow fluid to run between the ridges.

[0016]FIG. 4 shows a partial elevation front view of one end of bar rail mat 10 revealing an elongated, resilient member 14 with a curved end 14 a that is spaced from the end member 11 d a distance “w” to form a channel 20 that extends cross wise along the end wall 11 d. Channel 20 permits cross flow of fluid so that fluids can flow in and out of each of the chambers located between the members 14 to enable the fluid to self level within the chambers between each of the members 14.

[0017]FIG. 5 shows a similar partial front end view of the compartment 12 with the ridges therein for supporting a glass thereon. In the embodiment shown the ridges 18 protrude slightly above the bottom of the bar rail mat to keep the bottom of the glass off the bottom member 17 of the bar rail mat.

[0018]FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 6-6 to show the spaced-apart, elongated, resilient members 14 in cross section with the elongated fluid damping chambers 15 located therebetween. The bar rail mat 10 and the members 14 are integral with bottom 11 to form a one-piece bar rail mat 10 and preferably made of a polymer plastic such as vinyl plastisol. The members 14 are shown having a thickness “t” which in the preferred embodiment is at least {fraction (1/16 )} of an inch. The height of the members 14 is designated by h₂ and is less than the height of the outer walls 11 d to outline a region for glass placement. In order to maintain the glass off the bottom 11 c and out of the spilled fluids in the chambers 15 it is preferred that in most instances the height of the elongated resilient members 14 in trough be at about at least {fraction (1/4 )} of an inch.

[0019]FIG. 6A is an identical view to FIG. 6 and shows a glass 25 placed on the bar rail mat 10 with fluids 22 and 26 running down the side of glass 25 and into compartments 15 between each of the members 14. As each of the members 14 have a relief in form of a curved end 14 a the bar rail mat 10 allows for cross flow of fluids between and along each of the compartments 15 until the fluid 27 seeks its own level as illustrated in FIG. 6A. The bottom of glass 25 is shown supported by the coaction of the top surfaces 14 a of the resilient members 14 to support the glass above the fluid 27 located in the chambers 15. This allows fluids 22 and 26 on the side of the glass to drain into the bar rail mat chambers 15 for later disposal. FIG. 6A thus illustrates the spaced apart resilient members cooperating with each other to form a top surface for supporting a glass 25 in a stable upright position thereon.

[0020]FIG. 7 shows the emptying of the bar rail mat 10. Even though the bar rail mat 10 is made of a resilient material that is sufficiently soft to absorb the shock of placing a glass thereon without breaking glass the bar rail mat can be easily emptied. That is the plurality of spaced apart resilient members 14 introduce a physical rigidity to the bar rail mat 10. The rigidity introduced by the plurality of resilient members allows the bar rail mat to be lifted upward as indicated by force arrow F₁ and tipped on its end to empty the fluids 30 therein without concern that the bar rail mat will buckle or twist and spill fluids 30 out the sides as the bar rail mat 10 is emptied. That is, although the resiliency of members 14 provides a cushion for receiving the glass the use of a plurality of spaced-apart, elongated, resilient members 14 provides an internal support to provide a stiffness to the bar rail mat so that the bar rail mat can be easily emptied. 

I claim:
 1. A bar rail mat for holding a wet glass thereon comprising: an elongated trough having a first end, a second end and a bottom with a side wall of a first height extending therearound to form a fluid retention compartment; a plurality of spaced-apart, elongated, resilient members located in said fluid retention compartment to thereby form an elongated fluid chamber between each of said plurality of spaced apart elongated members, each of said spaced apart elongated resilient members integral to said elongated trough with each of said plurality of spaced apart elongated resilient members extending upward from the bottom of said elongated trough and cooperating with each other to form a top surface for supporting a glass in a stable upright position thereon with each of said plurality of elongated resilient members having a length less than the length of the fluid retention compartment to allow fluid spillage into one chamber to flow into other chambers
 2. The bar rail mat of claim 1 wherein height of the plurality of spaced-apart, elongated, resilient members is less than the height of the side wall.
 3. The bar rail mat of claim 2 wherein at least one end of each of the spaced-apart, elongated, resilient members is spaced from an end of the fluid retention compartment to allow cross flow between the compartments adjacent each of the elongated, resilient members.
 4. The bar rail mat of claim 3 wherein the bar rail mat comprises a polymer plastic.
 5. The bar rail mat of claim 4 including a second trough having a set of ridges for temporarily placing a glass thereon.
 6. The bar rail mat of claim 5 wherein the spaced-apart, elongated, resilient members cooperate with the sidewall of said bar rail mat to provide sufficient stiffness to said bar rail mat so that the bar rail mat can be tipped upward to drain any fluids therein out of an end of the bar rail mat.
 7. The bar rail mat of claim 6 wherein each of the spaced-apart, elongated, resilient members have a height of at least {fraction (1/4 )} inch.
 8. The bar rail mat of claim 7 wherein each of the spaced-apart, elongated, resilient members have a width of at least {fraction (1/16 )} of an inch.
 9. The bar rail mat of claim 6 wherein at least one end of each of the spaced-apart, elongated, resilient members is curved.
 10. The bar rail mat of claim 6 wherein each of the spaced-apart, elongated, resilient members are located in a parallel condition to each other.
 11. The bar rail mat of claim 10 wherein said bar rail mat includes at least 15 spaced-apart, elongated, resilient members.
 12. The bar rail mat of claim 10 wherein each of said spaced-apart, elongated, resilient members is an elongated continuous member of uniform height.
 13. A bar rail mat for holding a glass in an upright condition thereon comprising: a trough having a first end, a second end and a bottom with a side wall of a first height extending therearound to form a fluid retention compartment; a plurality of spaced-apart, elongated, resilient members located in said compartment with each adjacent spaced-apart, elongated, resilient member forming an elongated fluid damping chamber therebetween, each of said spaced-apart, elongated, resilient members integral with the bottom of said trough and extending upward therefrom, said plurality of spaced-apart, elongated, resilient members each having a top surface with said top surface of each of said plurality spaced-apart, elongated, resilient members cooperating with each other to form a glass supporting surface to support a glass in a stable upright position thereon. 